The death of a CU student has stunned many in the CU community and has caused officials to rethink drug and alcohol education.
Michael Hoffman, a 21-year-old sophomore open-option major, died Aug. 30, after spending four days unconscious at the hospital.
Hoffman was found unconscious during the early morning of Aug. 26, in front of an apartment complex on the Hill after a night of partying with friends, according to a campus press release.
After a resident of the apartment complex called emergency help for Hoffman, he was taken to the hospital where he never regained consciousness, according to the press release.
Hoffman’s death is the first of the school year and has spread sadness among the student body. Ronald Bornsztein, a 19-year-old sophomore open-option major, said that he has noticed the impact of Hoffman’s death around campus.
“[The death] goes through the campus,” said Bornsztein. “You feel it and you can tell everyone is sad. It is just a sad day for CU.”
The details on Hoffman’s death have yet to be released from the Boulder County Coroner’s Office.
Kim Kobel, public information officer for the Boulder police, could not be reached for comment.
Evren Bora, 19-year-old freshman political science major, said that he fears for his friends that engage in these sorts of activities.
“It’s kind of scary because I know lots of kids that do this kind of stuff,” said Bora. “It is sad that are going through this instead of knowing about their limits and acting appropriately.”
CU spokesperson Bronson Hilliard said that CU will focus its efforts towards alcohol and drug education.
“We’ve been doing a lot more on the issue of alcohol and drug issue more than any other time,” Hilliard said in an interview.
Hilliard said the methods being used to tackle this alarming issue are complex and detailed.
“One of the strategies of dealing with it is to get students to have a rich and fulfilling academic experience that challenges them to the point that they don’t have time for alcohol,” Hilliard said. “The effects are to really challenge students so that they are not driven to turn to alcohol and drugs.”
In a campus-wide email on Sept. 6, Chancellor Philip DiStefano addressed the CU community of Hoffman’s passing.
“I believe this is a challenge to us to continue our efforts in alcohol and drug education,” said DiStefano in a statement. “As well as a strong incentive to strengthen our partnerships with the city of Boulder and other stakeholders to reduce the often tragic role that alcohol and drug abuse play in our state and community.”
The university has also been creating more programs to keep students more engaged in on-campus activities rather than going off campus to party and drink. Some of these activities include Friday Movie Night in Chemistry 140 and the Saturday Night Concert. Counseling programs are also available to help those students battling drug and alcohol abuse.
Contact CU Independent Staff Writer Vanessa Harmoush at Vanessa.harmoush@colorado.edu
